Concentrator deck



Mara! 1 A. H. STEBBINS 1,706,552

couczu'mm'bn ozcx Filed June 5, 1927 ZSheets-Sheet 1 I /Nl ENTOR-' BYwmm 1 ATTORNEY 1929- A. H. STEBBINS ,706,552

CONCENTRATOR DECK Filed June 5. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I: N g V/Nl/NTOR.' 1 dam-am BY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES ALBERT H. STEBBINS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CONCENTRATOR DECK.

Application filed June 3, 1927.

Serial No. 196,366.

This invention relates to a novel form of Fig. 7 is a sectional Viewtaken on the line concentrator deck having a material receiving valleyin which separation of materials that ditl'er in specilic gravity isetl'ected.

In carrying out the j'n'esent invention the materials to be treated areadvanced along a valley in the concentrator deck and a strat lication otthe materials is ellected eithel through the use of air or by vibratorymove.- ment. The lighter materials are raised to the su 'lace by therising air currents. or by the heavier particles working down underthem, and such lighter materials are disposed of by crowding them out ofthe valley. The valle may be made as long as desired to give the heavierparticles ample time to work down under the lighter particles.

One important feature of the present invention resides in scrapersarranged along the valley and which serve to 't'orce the lightermaterials or tailings laterally out of the valley while permitting theheavier particles or values to remain in the valley.

Another 'l'eature of the invention resides in the construction whereby aconcentrate confining pocketis formed near the discharge end of thevalley and in which the materials are subjected to a panning action.

Another feature oi the invention resides in l nti'er blocks arranged atthe sides of the valley to force the concentrates toward the centre ot'the valley and to crowd the tailings out ol the valley.

Still another feature of the invention resides in a sloping portion ofthe deck and cooperating ritlles tor disposing of some of the tailingsbel'ore the materials reach the treatment valley.

()ther :l'eatures oi" the invention and novel combination of parts inaddition to the above will be hereinat'ter described in connection withthe accompanying drawings which illustrate one good practical formthereof.

In the drawings 2-- Fig. l is a. perspective view ot a concentrator deckconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plain view of Fig. 1;

Fig. I on an enlarged scale. is a perspective view ot pprtion of thedeck ol Fig. 1;

Fig. r is a vertical sectional view through portion of the deck valley;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the deck of F a I mounted upon asupporting frame;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line a e of Fig. 5;

7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line d-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view through the deck valley showingthe butter blocks; and

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the butter blocks of Fig. 9.

The concentrator deck forming the subject matter of the presentinvention is shown as mounted upon a supporting frame in approximately ahorizontal position. and movement of the n'iaterials lengthwise ot thedeck is produced by imparting a progressive vibratory movement to thedeck. This is not. essential. however, in all embodiments of theinvention. for it desired the deck may be supported at a steepinclination in the direction ol its length so that the materials beingtreated will flow lengthwise of the de k under the influence of gravity.

in the construction shown the materials to be treated are delivered tothe concentrator deck by the feed hopper 10 having the sliding gate 11which may be adjusted to control the rate of flow of the materials tothe deck surface from the feed hopper. That portion of the concentratordeck lying near the teed hopper 10 is preferably provided with theoppositely inclined surfaces '12 which slope downwardly from the centralridge 153 that extends lengthwise ot a portion of the deck as shown. Thearrangen'ient is such that the opposite slope of the deck surt'aces 12will promote the flow of the materials down these inclined surt'accstowards the side walls ll of the deck. Inclined rillles 15 provided uponthat portion ot the deck surface lying near the teed hopper serve todirect the. concentrates towards the material receiving valley, whilethe tailings or lighter materials work laterally over the ritlles downthe inclined deck surt'ace. As a result of the const ruction justdescribed the materials undergo a preliminary treatment before theyreach the valley to be described, and in this manner the tailings whichseparate out promptly are prevented from reaching the valley.

In accordance with the present invention the deck surface is providedwith the treatment valley 16 which extends lengthwise ot' the deck asubstantial distance, as shown, and the tailings which are crowded outof this valley, in a manner to be described, tall upon the launders 17,along which the tailings travel until they pass from the discharge lltlends of the launders into the tailing receiving hoppers 1H. it helaundcrs i7 preterably oi their length wi h in the dir 'suion rev pectto the *alley 1th as will be apparent t'ronr the drawing, so that theincreased inclination ot' the surt'ates 17 will promote trz 'vcl oi thetailin as towards the hoppers 18. At each side ot the valley 16 areprovided the \ertically tllhpUHtrl walls 19 and the upper edges ot thesewalls lie tlnsh with the side walls 20 ot the valley, the arramaancntbeing uch that the materials which are crowded out ot' the valley itwill readily work up the incliccd walls 2 and tall upon the laun-r ers1?. The inclined wall 21 m y be provided at the juncture of the ridge l3and the valley It) as shown. As above statctl the concentrator dcrl;shown is mounted upon a supporting frame to receive a progressivevibratory movement. This movement serves to work the concentrates downunder the tailinn s and the stratification of the materials may beeffected by movement alone, or if desired air passing upward y throughthe materials may be employed to promote separation of the materials. Inthe present case the floor ot the Valley 16 is shown as having the airapertures through which small jets of air may be delivered to thematerials being: treated. A'ir under pressure may be supplied to thatportion of the deck surtace lying near the feed hopper l and to theapertures 22 within the alloy 16 by forming the air chamber orreceptable below the deck snrtace, and since it is unnecessary to supplyair under pressure to the lannders 17 the air chamber 2 is prelerablyprovided with a reduced port on 2 1 which lies under the valley 16.

The valley 16 is preferably so constructed that it d ,-rcases in widthfrom its material receiving end towards its discharge end as yill beapparent f om Fig. 2, this construc tion being desirable to crowd out ofthe al ley the lighter materials as they approach the discharge end oil?the alley. Removal of the tailine's or linhter materials from the valleyfurther promoted by providing any desired number ot' scrapers which areconveniently arranged in diverging pairs, as best shown in Fig. 3. Thelower portion ot each scraper Q5 lies in close prou'iixity to the tloorof the central portion of the valley while the lower edges of theoutwardly flaring wings of the scrapers slope upwardly with respect tothe incl incd surfaces of the alley, as b st shown in Fig. 4. Thearrangement ch that all materials traveling lengthwise the valley willbe deflected laterally by c scraper wings but? the concent ates lyingr-cneath the tailings may through the \YOln passages 26 provided betweenthe lower edge of tl e scrapers :nd the deck surface, while 10 tailingswill be deflected laterally by the It will therefore ra'rrrs out of theValley.

be seen that the scrapers serve not only dctlcct the tailincs out oi hevalley, b also to dctlcct the comrcntratcs laterally 211 up the sidewalls of the valley sutiiricntly to rework the concent'ates nd therebyretrt t or clean the same.

It may be desi able to increase or decrease the number ot scrapers 25employed, or to vary their position lengthwise ot the valley, inaccordance with the requirements ot the materials be ng treated. Meansis tlicre't'ore shown for supporting the scrapers in diticrcnt positionsof adjustment and consists ot the posts :37 w :ich are arranged in a rowextending lengthwise ot the valley as shown, and in order to give theseposts the desired stit'l'ncss they may extend downwardly throinrh thedeck surface to the lower wall of the air chamber 2t. The posts 2 arespaced apart sutiicicntly to receive between them the intermediateportion 28 ot a pair of connected scrapers and the pair o't scrapers maybe secured to any post 27 in tt 1: d red position of adjustn'ientlengthwise oi the valley by a bolt 29. The outer end ot' e ch scraper ispreferably provided. with a downwardly extending leg 3U whicn may restupon the su face 17. The legs 30 may be provided with the elongatedslots 31 so that they may be adjustably secured to the scrapers by thebolts After the materials being treated have traveled a sabstantialdistance along the Valley 16 so that the concent 'ates have had anopportunity to work down under the tailings, it may be desirable tocrowd the concentrates in\ ardly toy aids the central portion of the aley. This may be done by providing the butter blocks formed of thecooperating walls 3;; and 25%. The walls 33 are shorter than the w: llsill and serve to direct the concent ates inwardly towards the centralportion of the valley. These walls 33 extend upwardly from the in clincdsurfaces 20 a less distance than, the walls Ell so that the tailin g'smay tlow over the top of the walls 3?) into spaces 35 (see Fin. 10)whereupon the materials that enter these spaces upon moving lengthwiseof the decl; will be directed out. of the valleys by the higher walls31'. It will theretorc be seen that the butter blocks just describedperform the double function of cro'vvdinc; the concentrates inwardlytowards the central portion ot the valley and of Jerking the tailingslaterally out of the valley. The concc itrates which have workeddownwardly under the tailings within the Valley 16 may be drawn. oilthrough any desired number of discharge openings 36, having thedischarge pipes 237 that extend downwardly through the air chamber 24.

As the concent'ates traveling; aloi valley 16 approach the discha endtli their ll'lOYt-llltllt lengthwise o't the vallev is arrested by thetransversely extending wall ill] lit)

38 which wall is preferably given the stepped construction shown, toprevent the concentrates from working up this inclined wall. Thetailings which still remain within the valley when the concentratesreach the wall 38 will pass from the discharge end of the valley intothe tailing receiving hopper 18 and these tailings may differ somewhatfrom the tailings which enter the discharge hoppers 18 it may bedesirable to provide partitions between the hoppers 18 and 18*, asshown. The tailings which work up the inclined wall 38 are preventedfrom escaping sidewise by the upstanding walls 39.

The transversely extending wall 38 serves to form a concentratereceiving pocket near the discharge end of the valley 16 and in whichthe concentrates may be subjected to a panning action under thevibratory movement imparted to the deck. This panning operation willserve further to work the concentrates down under the tailings, and asthe concentrates accumulate in the pocket just mentioned they may bedrawn oil from time to time through the discharge openings 36. In orderto confine the concentrates within this pocket until they have undergonethe desired panning operation, means should be provided for closing thelower end of the discharge pipe 37. This is conveniently done byproviding the bag or tube 40 shown in Fig. 5, and which may be twistedas shown to prevent the materials from passing therethrough, and thedischarge end of this twisted tube may be temporarily secured to theunder surface of the deck as shown. Such fine particles as work throughthe air apertures 22 will fall upon the floor 41 ot' the air chamber.from which they may escape through the discharge opening 42 into thetube or bag 40.

Various means might be provided for supporting the concentrator deck forreciprocatory movement in the direction of its length and the meansshown in the drawings to this end consists of the uprights 43 which areconnected by the longitudinally extending rails 44, and the oppositesides of the supporting frame are connected by the transverselyextending braces 45. The concentrator deck may be rigidly secured to thecarriage 46 and this carriage is mounted upon the supporting frame formovement in the direction of its length by the ball or roller bearings47 which are contined between the bearings blocks 48 secured to thesupporting frame and the hearing blocks 49 secured to the carriage 46.Air under pressure is su plied to the air chamber 23; by the fan 50 tiledischarge portion of which is connected by a flexible connection 551 tothe downwardly extending portion 52 of the air chamber.

Various means might be provided for imparting a progressive vibratorymovement to the concentrator deck and a simple means to this end isshown in Fig. 5 and consists of the operating cable 5 1 an intermediateportion of which is secured to the carriage 46 by the clamping means Theportion of the cable 53 which extends in a right-hand direction from thclamp 54, extends around a grooved idle sheave and the lower end of thisportion oi the cable is secured to a coiled spring 5b. The portion ofthe cable 5?). which extends: in a lctt-hand direction l'ron'i the clamp54 passes around a grooved idle sheave 57 and passes from the lowerportion of this sheave around a grooved sheave 58 which is mounted uponthe eccentric 59. and the end of the portion of the cable extending fromthe sheave 58 is fastened to an anchor (it). The e -cen tric hf) isrigidly secured to a power shalt (Bl. the arrangement being such thatrotation of tit 61 will rotate its eccentric to move the sheave 58 in anorbital path to thereby slack oil and tension the cable 53. This willserve to mpart the desired progressive vibratory movement to the deck toadvance the materials lengthwise ol' the same towards its discharge end.

lVhile in most cases it may be desirable to impart a progressivevibratory movement to the concentrator deck forming the subject matterof the present invention this is not essential in all constructions, forif the deck is supported at a steep inclination in the direction of itslength it will be unnecessary to vibrate the same since tiie force ofgravity, together with the iction oi the air passing upwardly throughthe apertures 22, will produce the desired flow of the materialslengthwise of the deck. The air jets will serve also to work the lightermaterials upwardly through the concentrates to effect the desiredclassification, whereupon the tailings will be crowded out of the valley16 by the construction above described.

From the foregoing description when read in connection with the drawingsit will be seen that the materials undergo a preliminary treatment uponportions 12 ot the deck surface before they reach the treatment valleyl6, and that while traveling along this valley stratilication iseli'ected, by the rising air currents and by the vibratory movement. Thearrangement of the lower edges of the scrapers 25 so that the size 01the passages 26 ii crease in an outward direction. together with theangular arrangement ol these scrapers. prevents clogging ol thematerials within the passages :26. and the panning action to which theconcentrates are subjected near the discharge end of the valley servesto produce an exceptionally clean product.

hat 's claimed is 1. 1r concentrator deck. comprising in combination. adeck casing provided with a material supporting surface constructed andarranged to form a central. valley extending lengthwise of the deck,means for directing the materials to be treated into the valley,

the

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scrapers mounted in the valley and const t'tit' ed and arranged todirect the tailings up the inclined sides and out of the valley whilepermitting the concentrates to remain in the valley, and said SCHLPQI'Sbeing mounted to lie in close proximity to the central floor of thevalley to deflect all materials traveling along tl e valley laterallyonto the inclined sides oi' the valley.

2, fr concentrator deck, comprising in comhination, a deck casingprovided with a matrri. l supporting surface that is constructed andarranged to form a valley extending length ol' the deck, means fordirecting the man utlrw to he treated into the valley, and strangersmnstrnctml and arranged to direct the ta l ngrjs latcrall v' out of thevalley while permitting the conrcntrates to travel lengthwise ol' thevalley under the scrapers, said scrapers heing also arranged to deflectthe cmiccn ratcs laterally within the valley to ettcct theirretreatment.

I). A concentrator deck, comprising in cominalion, a deck casino;provided with a mate 'ial supporting surlface that is constructed andarranged to form a valley extending lengthwise of the deck, means fordirecting the materials to he treated into the valley, and scrapersmounted in the valley to direct the tailings out oi the valley andhaving their lower edges inclined to the deck surface to provideoutwardly flaring passages for the tf()1lt't,lltl't1t0S.

l. A concentrator deck, comprising in comhination. a deck casingprovided with a material supporting surface that is constructed andarranged to form a alley extending lc -thwisc of the deck, means fordirecting the materials to he treated into the valley to travel lengtlmise tl'iereo'f, inclined scrapers arranged in pairs that flare outwardlyfrom the bottom oi the valley to direct the upper strat um oi thematerials up the inclined sides of the valley out of the valley andarranged so that the lower stratum may pass under the scrapers.

5. A concentrator deck, comprising in comlliiltltltill, a deck casingprovided with a malt-ittll supporting surface that is constructed andarranged to form a valley extending" it .gthn'se ot the deck, means fordirecting the materials to he treated into the valley to travellengthwise thereof, a central wall mounted in said valley and extendinglengthwise thereof, scrapers positioned in said vallc v and supported bysaid wall in spaced relation to the lloor to direct the lightermatcrials out of the valley, and means for securing the scrapers to saidwall in different positions of adjustment lengthwise of the vallev.

(3. A concentratm' deck, comprising in comhination, a deck casingprovided with a material supporting surface constructed and arranged toform a central valley extending lengthwise oi the deck, a series ofscraper supporting posts mounted in said valley and arranged to form awall extending lengthwise of the valley, scrapers for detiectin g thelighter materials traveling along the valley laterally out of the same,and means for securii'ig the scrapers to the ditl'erent posts to varytheir position lengthwise of the valley.

7. A concentrator deck, comprising in comhination, a deck casingprovided with a material supporting sin-face coi'istructied and arrangedto f rm a central valley extending lengthwise of the deck, a scrapersupporting wall mounted in the valley to extend lengthwise thereof, aseries of scrapers mounted in said valley and comprising dc lector wingssecured to said wall with their outer ends diverging thcret'rom inspaced relation to the lloor ol' the valley and arranged to dctlect thelighter materials laterally out of the valley while permitting theheavier materials to w rk under said wings, and downwardly extendinglegs at the outer ends of said wings and adapted to support the wings inspaced relation to the floor ot the valley.

8. A concentrator deck, comprising in coml ina ion a deck casing havinga central ridge near its material receiving end to extend lengthwise ot'a portion of the deck and having a material receiving valley extendinglengthwise oi the remaining portion of the deck, said ridge heingprovided with a deck su 'l'ace that opes downwardly from the oppositesides of the ridge, feed means for delivering the materials to hetreated to the deck surface, inclined ritlles upon the deck surlace andarranged to direct the concentrates into said valley while the lightermaterials llow over the ritlles down the sloping deck surface, and meansfor crowding the lighter materials out o l said valley.

9. A concentrator deck, conqarising in comh nat on, a deck cas ng havinga central ridge near its material receiving end to extend lengthwise ota portion oi the deck and having a material receiving valley extendinglengthwise of the remaining portion of the deck, said ridge heingprovided with a deck surface that slopes downwardly trom the oppositesides oi the ridge, teed means for delivering the materials to hetreated to the deck surt'ace, inclined rilllcs upon the deck surface andarranged to direct the concentrates into said valley while the lightermaterials flow over the rillles down the sloping deck surtace, andscrapers constructed and arranged to direct the lighter materials out 01the valley.

10. A concentrator deck, con'iprising in comhination, a deck casinghaving a central ridge near its nniterial receiving end to extendlengthwise of a portion of the deck and having a material receivingvalley extending lengthwise ot' the remaining portion of the deck, saidridge being provided with a deck surface that slopes downwardly from theopposite sides of the ridge, feed means for delivering the materials tohe treated to the deck surt'ace, inclined ri es upon the deck surfaceand arranged to direct the concentrates into said valley while thelighter materials flow over the ritlles down the sloping deck surface,and said uilley heing provided with a cross-sectional area thatdecreases toward its discl arge end to crowd out of the valley thelighter materials.

11. A concentrator deck, comprising in conlhination, a deck casingprovided with a material supporting surface constructed and arranged tot'orm a valley extending lengthwise ot h deck, means t'or directing thematerial: to he treated into the valley, means tor crowding the lightermateriahs out ot' the valley, a concentrate retaining wall extendingacross the taller near its discharge end to i'orin a concentrate ocket,and means for remov ng the concentrates tron; said pocket.

ii. A i concentrator deck, com rising in comhination, a deck casingprovided with a material supporting surface constructed and arranged toform a valley extending lengthwise ot the deck, means t'or direct ingthe materials to he treated into the Valley, means t'or crowding thelighter materials out of the cal to). a cmicentrate retaining wallextending across the valley near its discharge end to term a concentratepocket. and means for vihrating the deck casing to suhject the materialscontined in said pocl-t'et to a panning action.

1?). A ctmcentrator deck, comprising in comhinatitai. a deck casingprovided with a material supporting surface constructed and arranged to't'orni a Valley eistending lengthwise ot the deck, means For directingthe materials to he treated into the mlley, means for crowding thelighter materials out of the Valley, and a series of steps arrangedacross the Valley near its discharge end to arrest the travel of theconcentrates while permitting the tailings to flow over the steps.

1.4. A concentrator (leek, comprising in combination, a deck casingprovided with a material supporting surface mustructed and arranged toterm a v: llcy extending lengthwise o t the deck, inc-ans for directingthe materials to he treated into the valley. and hntler hlocks arrangedalong the sides of the \alley to crowd the concentrates toward thecentre of the Valley and adapted to direct; the tailings out of thevalley.

15. A ctmcentrator deck, comprising in comhination, a deck casingprovided with a material supporting surt'ace constructed and arranged toform a valley extending lengthwif-ze ot' the deck. means 't'ordelivering the materials to he treated into said valley, butler hlocksarranged along the side) of the valley to crowd the ctmcentrates towardthe centre of the valley. and each buffer hlock having a low wallpositioned to direct: the concentrates inwardl; hut over which thetailings may escape.

16. A concentrator deck, comprising in combination. a deck casingprovided with a naterial supporting surt ace cons ructed and arranged toform a alley extending lengthwise ot the deck, means tor delivering thematerials to he treated into said valley, hutler lilocks arranged alongthe sides o t the valley to crowd the concentrates toward the centre ofthe valley, and each hatter hlock having a low wall over which thetailings may escape while the conctaitrates are oirected inwardly bysuch wall and also a high wall which extends away from the centralportion of the alley.

In testimony whereof, I have name to this s 'iecification.

ALBERT H. STERBINS.

signed my

